2023 NFL Season Thread

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

But betting is kinda easy, so I'll take it more. More Bears, Giants and Jets please!

The betting would be the same if they were Sunday 10 AM games. We just wouldn't have to watch them.

[MRCboicgy]

Originally Posted by rubecube

We're in for some absolutely horrendous primetime games for the foreseeable future.

At least my evenings will be free for Halloween (wk 8)

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by MRCboicgy

At least my evenings will be free for Halloween (wk 8)

That Bears/Commanders game next week has the potential to be worse than Bears/Broncos this week.

[Senator Clay Davis]

The scary thing is we know they want to expand the number of primetime windows. So we are very likely looking at a future with even worse matchups then the ones we get know. I know the relegation/promotion thing I mentioned before will never happen, but I'm fine changing the scheduling format in the future to maybe make it so primetime games mostly feature previous years playoff teams. Like if this year primetime games were restricted to matchups only involving the following:

AFC: KC, Buffalo, Cincy, Jax, LAC, Baltimore, Miami
NFC: PHI, SF, Minn, TB, DAL, NYG, SEA

Well there's still some bad teams sneaking in, but it becomes far more limited. We end up with maybe 10-20% of primetime games being unwatchable instead of the 50-70% we get now. And then you make it so when a non-playoff team becomes worth flexing, the other networks are barred from blocking a flex. Half the problem with the flex scheduling is any decent game to flex gets block by the original network.

[Erick Estrada]

What we consider unwatchable is still very solid television ratings relative to other programming.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

What we consider unwatchable is still very solid television ratings relative to other programming.

I don't think anyone is debating that. However, the NFL could put Broncos vs. Bears on MNF for 16 straight weeks and still pull millions of viewers.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by rubecube

I don't think anyone is debating that. However, the NFL could put Broncos vs. Bears on MNF for 16 straight weeks and still pull millions of viewers.

The reality is that half or more of the games you listed will be close and competitive which is really all a viewer can ask for. Every team plays Thursday night so you can't hide any team from primetime.

[Senator Clay Davis]

NFL wants more money, always, and at some point having fans writing off half of the remaining primetime games in week four ain't gonna help. It's why they've brought in TNF/MNF flex this year. What they really need to consider is network flexing. CBS should be allowed to have Bills/Dolphins in primetime this week, since they'd never let NBC steal it. Instead we get to (hopefully) watch Trevor Siemian and Patrick Mahomes, since that is a F matchup instead of the F- that would be Zach attack and Mahomes.

[SuperMatt18]

I've seen both complaining about the prime time games being unwatchable this week, as well as complaining about the new move to have multiple games in the prime time slot, and the second complaint was weird to me.

The multiple games in prime time thing is actually trying to help solve the first problem, because it gives more options in case a stinker does pop up. And really if you are going to have up to 9 games on at the same time on a Sunday during the day anyways, then why not have 2 games in prime time on Sunday and Monday nights.

I think there might be a future where the Thursday night game is the only window where a single game is happening (really they should get rid of the Thursday night game but $$$ talks).

Thursday Window: 1 game
Sunday 11:00 MT / 1 ET: 6 games
Sunday 2:00 MT / 4 ET: 4 games
Sunday 6 MT / 8 ET: 2 games
Monday 6 MT / 8 ET: 2 games

That is your 15 games per week. I'd argue that right now the NFL actually isn't maximizing their TV potential by having 9 games on in that 11 MT / 1 ET time slot each week, and spreading that out a bit more might actually be better for business.

I'm surprised they haven't tried to create more time slots and have more of the staggered starts like they did last night.

Thursday Evening: 1 game
Sunday 11:00 MT / 1:00 ET: 4 games
Sunday 12:30 MT / 2:30 ET: 2 games
Sunday 2:00 MT / 4:00 ET: 2 games
Sunday 3:30 MT / 5:30 ET: 2 games
Sunday: 5:30 MT / 7:30 ET: 1 game
Sunday: 7:00 MT / 9:00 ET: 1 game
Monday: 5:30 MT / 7:30 ET: 1 game
Monday: 7:00 MT / 9:00 ET: 1 game

That would be 9 "windows" to sell to the networks, and as a fan that would be pretty great TBH. More variety in the start times, generally you always have at least 2 games going on at the same time with staggered start times to cover intermissions etc.

[ForeverFlameFan]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

I've seen both complaining about the prime time games being unwatchable this week, as well as complaining about the new move to have multiple games in the prime time slot, and the second complaint was weird to me.

The multiple games in prime time thing is actually trying to help solve the first problem, because it gives more options in case a stinker does pop up. And really if you are going to have 5-6 games on at a time Sunday during the day anyways, then why not have 2 games in prime time on Sunday and Monday nights.

I think there might be a future where the Thursday night game is the only window where a single game is happening (really they should get rid of the Thursday night game but $$$ talks).

Thursday Window: 1 game
Sunday AM: 6 games
Sunday Afternoon: 4 games
Sunday Primetime: 2 games
Monday Primetime: 2 games

To me that is what it's going to look like in the future, and that is your 15 games per week.

Why get rid of Thursday night football? I don’t get the hate for it. It allows me to pay attention to all teams around the league, because generally everyone gets a crack at it. Plus it’s something on rather than just adding to it to the many Sunday games already aired at the same time.

[KelVarnsen]

TNF games are often terrible because lack of rest and prep. And they lead to more injuries. This is why people aren't big fans of TNF.

[Erick Estrada]

Just a week ago it was discussed how bad the Sunday games looked but that wasn't really the case as I'm in a weekly pick'em league and everyone had and only two people got over 10/16 correct because nobody had the Cardinals, Colts, and Texans winning. Even the biggest blowout game was entertaining in a historical context. Sometimes the good looking matchups end up as duds and sometimes the ones that look like duds end up being close games that can be decently entertaining.

[SuperMatt18]

Originally Posted by ForeverFlameFan

Why get rid of Thursday night football? I don’t get the hate for it. It allows me to pay attention to all teams around the league, because generally everyone gets a crack at it. Plus it’s something on rather than just adding to it to the many Sunday games already aired at the same time.

Kelvarnsen already did it...but to me it's more about the quality of football for those teams to be playing on 4 days rest.

I'd be more okay with it if they could figure out a way to schedule it so that the 2 teams coming off the bye week are generally the teams that play the Thursday night game.

[devo22]

too much moaning. I'm just enjoying football being back, it's been too long.

[Senator Clay Davis]

Originally Posted by SuperMatt18

Kelvarnsen already did it...but to me it's more about the quality of football for those teams to be playing on 4 days rest.

I'd be more okay with it if they could figure out a way to schedule it so that the 2 teams coming off the bye week are generally the teams that play the Thursday night game.

The easy solution is eliminate Thursday Night games and go with a Saturday Night game instead. The NCAA is semi-pro ball now anyway with NIL, whatever truce previously existed shouldn't be respected anymore. Let the NCAA have Thursdays back like they used to.

[calgarygeologist]

Originally Posted by KelVarnsen

TNF games are often terrible because lack of rest and prep. And they lead to more injuries. This is why people aren't big fans of TNF.

Maybe implementing bye weeks ahead of TNF would be ideal. TNF only happens when the bye weeks are occuring and the playing in TNF get the prior weekend off. This would basically mean that TNF would need to be a double header most weeks.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by rubecube

The betting would be the same if they were Sunday 10 AM games. We just wouldn't have to watch them.

too many games at the same time.

[FireGilbert]

Jon Bois recently defined a "great game" as one having:

1. Both teams score at least 20 points.
2. Game decided by 8 points or less.
3. Trailing team has the ball late with a chance to tie or win.

Only the Vikings Chargers game this week met the criteria. This is like a 1970s level of football and not what is expected in the modern game.

[transplant99]

Originally Posted by FireGilbert

Jon Bois recently defined a "great game" as one having:

1. Both teams score at least 20 points.
2. Game decided by 8 points or less.
3. Trailing team has the ball late with a chance to tie or win.

Only the Vikings Chargers game this week met the criteria. This is like a 1970s level of football and not what is expected in the modern game.

#1 is completely arbitrary....Ive seen tremendous 16-13/19-16 type games....people just dont appreciate/like good defense dominant games. Yet it is just as important part of the game as offense.

The other 2 i totally agree with...1 possession games with the trailing team getting the ball late are what makes football so great.

[ResAlien]

Forget what you’re all on about, the important news is T Sizzle is coming to save the Jets season. Thats what’s up